Volume: 48 Issue: 1
Year: 2017, Page: 34-39,
Received: May 16, 2016 Accepted: May 18, 2016 Published: June 30, 2017
The present study was undertaken among a sample duck farmers of Kuttanad region of Alappuzha district. The objective of the study was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the duck farming system of Kuttanad and to identify the sustainability issues. The study revealed that the important strengths perceived were the traditional significance of duck farming in the region, efficiency of duck production systems in providing nutritional security to the farm families, its contribution to women empowerment, the low cost/ no cost production of ducks and its contribution to organic farming. The labour intensive nature of duck farming, risk of diseases to ducks, lack of effectiveness of farmers’ unions, lack of knowledge of scientific duck farming and lack of faith in scientific management practices were the important weaknesses. The delicacy status enjoyed by duck products in the region, opportunities for self-employment and value addition and the demand for native organic products werethe important opportunities. Threats perceived included poor social status accorded to duck farming, difficulties in feed procurement, unavailability of labour and credit and the unorganized nature of market.
Keywords: Duck farming, SWOT analysis, Kuttanad
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